Anglican Synod 2004: Are liberal Anglicanism's days numbered?

Anglican Synod 2004: Are liberal Anglicanism's days numbered?

Rev Nigel Zimmerman

Rev Nigel Zimmerman studied Journalism at the Queensland
University of Technology and this year completed his Master of
Theological Studies. He was ordained Deacon in the Anglican Church
of Australia in November 2003 and has begun his first curacy as
Deacon Assistant in the Anglican Parish of Murraylands and Chaplain
to Bishop Ross Davies of The Murray.

The Anglican Church of Australia (ACA) has rejected women
bishops. Between 2-8 October, representatives of the 20 dioceses
gathered in Perth under the soon-to-retire Primate, Archbishop
Peter Carnley. Heated debate saw not only women bishops, but
actively homosexual clergy and same-sex blessings all disallowed to
the chagrin of theological liberals.

This was due to the combined efforts of the growing
Gospel-centred Evangelical conglomerate of Sydney Diocese and the
smaller but also Gospel-centred Anglo-Catholics from around the
country. Furthermore, in a world-first, the Traditional Anglican
Communion (TAC, dubbed "continuing" Anglicans) received tacit
approval from the Primate himself in his opening speech.

Orthodox stirrings

Since 1992, when canon law was altered to "allow" women priests,
theological warfare has ripped official Anglicanism apart. As the
women bishops debate was launched in earnest, orthodox (both
Evangelical and Catholic) Anglicans have watched the liberal
onslaught with dismay. But there have been stirrings of a way
forward only now coming to life.

Forward in Faith (FIF) is an international organisation which
began in response to the ordination of women in the Anglican
Communion. Over the past decade, it has worked as closely as
possible with orthodox Anglicans throughout the Third World and
more recently with the Anglican "continuers", Anglican bodies
forced out of communion with "official" Anglicanism for the sake of
keeping catholic faith and order in a sacramental stream consistent
with the great Patristic tradition.

Much more recently, FIF and the TAC have expressed their "full
communion" and recognition of each other's ministries. There is a
widespread acknowledgement that continuing Anglicans wish to pursue
serious dialogue with the intention of reaching full communion with
the wider Catholic Church.

On 3 June this year, after twelve years of patiently asking
Anglican bishops in Australia to provide some form of alternate
episcopal care, orthodox Anglicans have come together in unity with
a plan. In June, FIF, in conjunction with the TAC, formed itself
into an electoral college and unanimously elected Fr David
Chislett, Rector of All Saints' Wickham Terrace in Brisbane, as a
bishop - although no date has as yet been set for his
consecration.

While it is true that Archbishop Carnley of Perth is an open
supporter of women priests and bishops, it is also true he has been
a sensitive listener to FIF in recent times. He is a man facing the
very real extinction of Anglicanism in this country with some
honesty, unlike many of his liberal friends who appear to be
avoiding the inevitable.

Declining numbers, the recent crisis of mis-handling of sexual
abuse matters, an increasing irrelevancy among the general public:
these are all matters which have not been curbed by the advent of
women priests or the loose morality preached from many an Anglican
pulpit.

To even mention either FIF or the TAC in earshot of many liberal
bishops in Australia is to immediately attract venom and often
outright anger. There seems to be a genuine fear that many
Anglicans have really lost interest in the great experiment of
liberal Anglicanism. And after all, where are all the liberals
under 55?

In his Presidential Address, Archbishop Carnley acknowledged
what FIF is trying to achieve and said, "Meanwhile, a commitment to
the spirit of ecumenism leads me to the view that we must preserve
the most friendly and creative relationship possible with
Archbishop Hepworth and the member Churches of the Traditional
Anglican Communion."

Despite the Primate's care, Archbishop Philip Aspinall of
Brisbane offered something extraordinary to the debate. Despite an
open discussion with the Archbishop and what seemed to be a genuine
attempt to reach some form of continued understanding, he
overturned his dialogue with FIF completely by attempting to pass a
"Canon To Restrain Certain Consecrations" (Bill No. 23).

New evangelisation

Nobody at the Synod said it out loud, but the target of this
canon was clear. Bishop Ross Davies of The Murray has been a public
supporter of Fr David Chislett's Episcopal election. As the only
diocesan bishop in Australia who is also a member of FIF, liberal
bishops are fearful that with legal obstacles out of the way, he
will be a co-consecrator of Fr Chislett.

The bill which would have prevented his involvement in such a
consecration failed.

The problem for the liberal Anglican establishment is that there
have been soundings from all over the country of support for Fr
Chislett in his election as a bishop. Liberal bishops who have not
been willing to provide orthodox Anglicans with alternate episcopal
care are running scared that a "new evangelisation" will be taking
place because of Fr Chislett's consecration.

What we are all left with is a strong will to achieve a place
for orthodox Anglicans in Australia, an even stronger confident
Evangelical majority and of course a sad group of 1960s style
Anglican liberal bishops - ruthlessly protecting their property and
their finances, but lamentably out of touch with what is really
going on in their parishes.